Khost: Displaced families in need of assistance

KHOST CITY (Pajhwok): Families displaced as a result of war from Paktia to Khost province demand immediate assistance from government and humanitarian organisations.

Logar Khan, a resident of Janikhel district, told Pajhwok Afghan News he moved to Khost along with his family a week ago due to conflict between Taliban and security forces.

He said they needed urgent assistance including food items. He is living in a rented house, having left behind all goods at home after fierce clashes erupted in the area.

Khan noted most of the families had been affected by a three weeks siege. Ultimately, he said, they managed to leave their homes with the clothes they were wearing.

Two months ago, the Janikhel district centre fell into the hands of Taliban two times and both security forces and militants claimed inflicting heavy casualties on each other.

According to local officials and resident, hundreds of families had also been forced to flee their homes due to war.

Hakim Faisal, an inhabitant of Janikhel, said most displaced families had moved to the capital of Paktia, Samkani district and Khost province. He lambasted the government and donor agencies for failing to provide them necessary assistance in time.

“What does the necessary help mean? If one is provided no aid in a fortnight, how can one claim distributing immediate assistance? I am very concerned about the conduct of the authorities; we have received no assistance yet”.

Mohammad Hashim Halim, Khost director of refugees and repatriation, confirmed over 200 families had been displaced due to recent fighting in Janikhel district.

He claimed delivering immediate assistance to them after a survey, but the registrations process was still in progress. The remaining families would also receive aid, he promised.

The families without shelter would be given tents, toilets and food items. The war-affected households fear they will not see normality as the security forces' operation is ongoing in Janikhel.

A member of Paktia provincial council, Hafizullah Mubarez, told Pajhwok more areas of Janikel had been purged of militants and the situation had retired to normal.

“We call on the displaced people to return to their homes without any fear. The district centre was under the control of the government and war has ended,” the public representative said.